


Sanctuary

by seikaitsukimizu



Category: Stargate - All Series, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Humor, M/M, Stargate Atlantis AU: Mensa, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-21
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 18:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/542350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seikaitsukimizu/pseuds/seikaitsukimizu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rod thought Cheyn of Procul-Arum was hiding something, but that didn't stop him from inviting the priest to Atlantis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> [Originally posted on LJ 06/2007. ](http://mensa-au.livejournal.com/21896.html)

At first, Rod thought the citizens of Procul-Arum were like the Nox: so advanced that they only appeared primitive. Except he couldn’t find any evidence of it. The people were blissfully unaware of the Wraith--the Nox at least acknowledged the goa’uld--and their head priest appeared to be different than the rest of population. It was just a gut feeling, something about how he hesitated just slightly at the name of the their God, Athren. Still, the weapon had destroyed a Wraith battle cruiser, and in Rod’s mind that alone made him ignore his suspicions and invite Cheyn back to Atlantis.  
  
In retrospect, he probably shouldn’t have tried to show off the lab Dr. Sheppard was in.  
  
“Athren,” he snorted. The man didn’t even look up from the long-range scanner console. “Religious mumbo jumbo.”  
  
“Athren protects our world,” Cheyn said, leaning over Sheppard to look at his work, his body nigh-flushed against the scientist’s. “He guides the sun from beyond the horizon across the sky, and brings rain when the crops are dry-”  
  
A disgusted look appeared on John’s face, and Rod knew he better intervene before the man ruined their chance at an alliance. “Cheyn, why don’t we go meet the Athosians? Some of the refugees that we’re asking Athren to protect.” Fortunately, Sheppard at least knew when to shut up, and he only muttered under his breath as Rod led the alien priest from the room.  
  
Oddly, though, he found the man back in Sheppard’s lab two hours later. Rod had had to settle a dispute in botany--botanical scientists were always the worst when it came to keeping their tempers--and left Lorne to continue the tour. Lorne was practically Dr. Grodin’s right hand man, was fluent in both the science and military fields, and if there was anyone he trusted to convince Cheyn of helping them, it was him (Dr. Grodin’s diplomatic skills were still recovering from the Genii incident).  
  
Cheyn was once more invading Sheppard’s space, though the man had yet to realize it. Lorne was leaning against a wall, so Rod quietly joined him. “Something wrong?”  
  
Lorne smiled. “Not at all, Doc. Cheyn just wanted to see Doctor Sheppard again. Wouldn’t say why.” He shrugged. “I think,” he said at a lower volume, “he’s a bit sweet on Shep.” Sheppard hated that nickname, especially since everyone used it. “You know, the natives being untouchable because of his position…” He glanced across the room, where Cheyn was slowly massaging the tense doctor’s muscles.  
  
Rod was counting back in his mind how long it would be before Sheppard freaked out. “So you think we can get him to put out in the interests of an alliance?” They shared a grin and turned back just in time to see Sheppard turn around--surprised, of course surprised--and get kissed by Cheyn.  
  
Lorne leaned to the right to get a better view, incidentally putting his head right above Rod’s shoulder. “I doubt it. Looks like he’s about to piss himself--oh. Nice technique.”  
  
Rod chuckled, then slapped Lorne on the arm. “Go rescue our hopeless scientist before he kills himself by flinging his body over the console.” Rod followed Lorne over, and while Lorne distracted Cheyn (“So, how about some dinner--no, I’m afraid Shep can’t join us. Rod needs him to look over some equipment in the Gateroom but I know this great balcony…”) he grabbed Sheppard’s arm and guided the stunned man out of the lab.  
  
It wasn’t until they were in the transporter that Sheppard finally stopped opening and closing his mouth like a guppy. “Did he--I never--what was--do I look like an altar boy?!”  
  
Rod put his hands on his hips and squinted. “Well, with the right robe, I think you could pass for one.”  
  
Sheppard scowled at him. “You are never funny.”  
  
“The marines think I am.”  
  
“The marines haven’t evolved beyond _homo erectus_.”  
  
“And you say biology is all voodoo.” Rod grinned as Sheppard glared at him even more and pushed the residential section on the transporter. It was one of the unused sections, with less than two hundred people on the expedition they had more rooms than they needed. He pulled Sheppard out of the transporter and started walking. Like a good scientist, Sheppard’s curiosity made him follow.  
  
The silence lasted all of two minutes. “There’s something wrong with him.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“Cheyn.” Sheppard had his arms tightly crossed against his chest, his shoulders hunched, and his gaze burning a hole in the walkway. “It’s the only explanation.”  
  
“For him kissing you? You’re kidding.” Sheppard didn’t agree. “Did you stop to think that maybe he just likes you, and that’s how they do it on his world?”  
  
“No.” He shook his head. “There’s something wrong with him. Have you had Doctor Cadman look at him?”  
  
“Of course.” Cadman had said Cheyn was far too healthy, too perfect, for living the life he purportedly did. He wasn’t about to share that tidbit. “He checked out fine. He just likes you.”  
  
“No one likes me.”  
  
“Oh really, John?” Sheppard winced at the familiar name.  
  
“Fine. You like me for some unfathomable reason. But no one else does.”  
  
John had helped save the city at least six times, and while a lot of people weren’t happy with his attitude, Rod knew everyone respected him, and a good number even liked him. Still, he wasn’t about to ruin the man’s illusions. Yet. “You could give Cheyn a chance.”  
  
“You just want that alliance. And if you have to whore me out to do it-”  
  
Rod grabbed Sheppard’s arm and forcibly turned him so he was facing him. Sheppard had the decency to flush under Rod’s gaze. “I would never force you.” He squeezed John’s arm. “And if I thought for one minute he was a threat, you know I’d handle it. He’s just some guy that likes you.”  
  
“They’re supposed to like you,” he muttered, not meeting Rodney’s eyes. “You’re Captain Kirk.”  
  
Rod felt himself smile crookedly. “Spock got the girl every now and then.” John got a pinched look at the teasing endearment. “Do you really think there’s something wrong with him, or are you just not used to human interest.”  
  
Sheppard jerked his arm back. “I don’t need you psychoanalyzing me, Doctor McKay. That’s what we have Doctor Weir for.” He looked back at the floor, then, almost whispering, “I don’t like the whole dating thing.”  
  
Now that was something Rod could deal with. “He probably doesn’t want a relationship. Just some…companionship.” Sheppard shifted uncomfortably, shuffling his feet and squeezing his arms tight around his torso. “You’ve never done it with a guy?” The flush returned, even brighter. “Well, have you had a girlfriend who-” It took Rod a moment, taking in Sheppard’s tense, humiliated posture. “You haven’t had sex.”  
  
John’s entire face was red, he looked almost ready to explode, but he didn’t say anything. Just jerked his head once, his entire body trembling.  
  
Rod could go many ways with this. He could crack a joke to relieve the tension, except that wasn’t Sheppard’s way. He could justify it, but Sheppard might see that as pity. He could ignore it, but it was a big admission, and Sheppard didn’t trust just anyone with his personal history. Offering himself up to end John's virgin status was out of the question. So, Rod was left with the only action he could think of. He rested a hand on John’s arm, and said, “Okay.”  
  
Whatever Sheppard was expecting, it obviously wasn’t that. “What?”  
  
“Okay. “I’ll keep Cheyn away from you. Unless you want-”  
  
“No! No, I,” he looked around as if terrified someone would hear him, “I just…I never thought…I had a plan.” His neck shrunk further into his shoulders, but the trembling was almost gone. “After I won my Nobel, I would pick a wife and pass my genes on for the betterment of humanity.”  
  
Rod understood the temptation to preclude sex in favor of research. It was only because of Jeannie he’d been so well socialized as to not focus every waking minute on his PhD’s. And, at his father’s suggestion, he had sex at least twice a year. Sometimes his dad was really strange; helpful, but strange. “You’re saving yourself. No disgrace in that.”  
  
A tiny hint of a smile cracked through Sheppard’s mask. “You won’t…I mean, it’s not…”  
  
“Friends don’t rat friends out.” At the sour pinched look, one that meant Sheppard's 'friends' had done so before, Rod amended, “Just between you and me. And Doctor Weir if you’ve told her.” He put his arm around John’s shoulders. “Now, there are some lower levels that Colonel Bates wants up and running. No one’s really wanted to do it because it’s a good three days worth of work, but if you’d like, I can see if Parrish’s tired of babysitting botanists and the two of you can go investigate the city.”  
  
Rod could actually see the flood of tension leave Sheppard’s body. He used his left foot to step on his right, then worried his bottom lip. ‘Thanks’ is something Sheppard’s almost never said, and watching him wrestle with it, the man looks almost cute. Slapping his back twice, Rod lead Sheppard towards the transporter.  
  
“I still think there’s something wrong with him.”  
  
“I’ll have Cadman get right on it.”  
  
Of course, the next day Cadman did another body scan with some SGC tech and discovered that Cheyn actually was Athren, an Ancient. That on top of discovering that Sheppard wouldn’t be available for the rest of his stay, and Chey--Athren told Grodin that he was forbidden from helping or protecting others. Then he remotely activated the Stargate and stormed off.  
  
Sheppard didn’t hear about it until three days later, but he only gloated a little. And mostly at Lorne.

**Author's Note:**

> For the Stargate: Mensalantis challenge at mensa_au. A quick peak at Dr. Sheppard being Kirk instead of Rod. Also, Procul-Arum was the original planet name in the script for Sanctuary.


End file.
